Improvement in artificial arms



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Avlhvrrnn STATES PATENT yeinen.

IMPROVEMENT IN ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,397, dated October 27, 1863.

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD Ooriv, of Washington city, inthe District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Arms; and I hereby-declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of iny invention consists, first, in constructing` the whole mechanism of my arm of metal, avoiding the use of catgut, whalebone, wood, or any other organic substance; secondly, in the construction of the elbow-joint, whereby the position of the forearm and stump can be varied, and by this variation the fingers may be shut and opened; thirdly, in the peculiar construction of that part representing the wrist of the natural hand, which allows the hand to be turned to about the extent of the natural one; fourthly, in the arrangement and construction of the mechanism which moves the tin gers, avoiding the use of ratchet-wheels, springs, pawls, &c.; fifthly, in the application of apeculiarly-shaped fork-holder.

In the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, Figures 1, 2, and 3 areperspective views of the artificial arm when the hand is opened and the arm stretched, showing the same from front, side, and rear. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the vartificial arm when the hand is shut and the arm bent, showing the saine from front and rear. Fig. G is a perspective view of the artificial arm, showing its leather covering and the straps by which it will be fastened to the stump, arm, and shoulder. Figs. 7 and 8 represent my elbow-joint, theimitation of the articulation of the ulna and radiusf7 with the humcrus77 in two different positions. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the operation of the guide and spiral spring assisting in opening and shutting the ingers. Fig. 11 shows the shape and construction ofthe lower guide plate or disk of my wrist. Fig. 12 is atop view. Fig. 13 isa side view; and Fig. 14 is a section through the upper guide or lower portion of my hand, being the second part of myjoint of the wrist, the imitation of the articulation of the forearm with the carpus.v Figs. 15 and 16 are to explain the operation of my imitation of the inetaca-rpal bones, the iirst and second phalanges and the muscles of the hand, fingers and thumb included.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The curved guards 1 2 3 are covered by a socket, A, formed of leather, into the shape of a stump or arm to which the same is to be applied. This socket is provided with straps and buckles, as usual, for attaching the same into place. a c are two metallic straps from said stump or arm to the elbow-joint b Z), connected by the guards 1, 2, and 3. The bones of the forearm, the ulna and radius, are represented by the two metallic straps c c, connecting the elbow-joint with the hand, being fastened to the ring d, surrounding and holding the lower portion, e, of the hand f, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. By this arrangement the hand j will be allowed to be turned around its axis, guided by the' ring d. The lower portion, e, ofthe handf(shown in Figs.

12, 13, and 14) is provided with two project- A ing pins, g g, passing through corresponding holes, h li, in disk i'. (Represented in Fig. 11.) Guards 4i and 5 and a stationary cross-piece, 7c, connect and hold in a iirm position the two straps c c, the cross-piece 7c serving as rest for the spiral spring l around the bolt or pin m, and thereby assisting the bending and stretching of the arm, and making thesel movements more elastic. At the elbow-joint the doublearmed bent levers n n (shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and in the perspective views) are attached to the metallic straps c a, for the purpose to attach and give motion to the rods o o, which are connected with the cross-pieces p and q, the cross-piece p being provided with a circular h ole, i", for the passage of pin or bolt m, and cross-piece q is provided with two pins, u u, working in the curved guide-holes v c of disk i, and connects this disk with the rods o o'. Both cross-pieces p and q are sliding in the perforations s s t t of the metallic straps c c. It will be easily perceived that by bending the arm-viz., by inclining the straps c c toward the straps c a-the rods o o will move forward, the cross pieces p and q sliding in perforations s s t t, and the disk z' sliding on the two pins g g ofthe lower portion, c, of the hand, as illustrated by figures. To disk i' are fastened by screws and nuts, or in any other adjustable manner, five rods, 'w w, passing the opening of lower portion, e, being inclosed by a metallic casing, f', representing the middle hand, (metacarpus,`) and secured at their upper ends to short single-armed levers x x, Fig. 16, four ot' which levers, transmitting motion to the four tin gers, turn around a common axis, 1/,Figs.3 and 15. The other lever, transmitting motion to the thumb, turns around another axis, z, Figs. 3 and 15, the latter having an inclined position to the former axis. By this arrangement, resembling that of the carpal bones of the natural hand, the most -i-mportant motionth at which brings the thumb in apposition to the fingers, and enables to `grasp--is most successfully imitated. The rst or metacarpal phalan ges are represented by a row of tive rods, d d, of different lengths, being connected at their lower or metacarpal ends with the levers rr fr, Fig. 16, and at the upper ends with the similar levers, B B, each swinging around an axis supported by and fastened to the hol-low metallic tubes j j, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 16, inclosing the rods d d. These tubes j j are attached to the metallic casing f by the axes y and z, and may turn around them. The third or unguinal pha-` lower end connected with the levers B B, and

at their upper extremities fastened to the hollow metallic parts e e, representing the terminations of the iin gers, by pins u. u. It will be seen that one row of rods, representing the second or middle phalan ges, have been left out f to simplify the construction, but it can easily be added, if required.

The operation at this part of my arm, respectively of the hand and fingers, including the thumb, may, according to the above description, easily be understood. By bending the arm, rods o o will move forward the disk i, as described hereinbefore, and this disk drives forward the rods 'w w x x d d turning the small levers to which rthey are attached around their respective centers of motion, and pulling thereby the ngers toward the palm ot the hand and the thumb toward the foreiinger or index, whereby any article may be pressed therein and between them, so as to hold the same rmly, according to the will of the operator, by bending the arm more or less. Consequently, by stretching the arm more or less, the lingers are more or less straightened. The forkholdcr w, consisting of four elastic laps, 1, 2, 3, and 4, and a bottom screw, 5, (shown in Fig. 17,) may be screwed lows: First, a close imitation of the actual movements of a sound human arm', therefore great comfort and utility secondly, great simplicity and substantiality, therefore cheapness; thirdly, a minimum of friction and the absence of ratchet-wheels and pawls, therefore of wear and noise; fourthly, the absence ot hygroscopic materials in the construction of my arm, therefore of extraordinary shrinkage.

l do not `claim the construction of an artificial arm, nor do I confine myself to the -peculiar shape of rods o 0, bent lever n n, `or of ring d and lower portion, e, of hand f, as this may be changed without abolishing the principle of my construction; but

What l claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The elbow-joint b b, when constructed substantially as described hereinbefore, with the rods o o and slides s s t t.

2. The ring d, fastened to the straps c c, surrounding and holding the lower portion, c, ot' hand f, and allowing the latter to be -turned around its axis, as specified above.

3. The spring l around pin m, in combi-nation with cross-piece'k and disk i, assisting the bending and stretching ofthe arm, constructed and arranged as described hereinbefore.

4. The disk t', with the two curved guideholes 't 1J, for the reception of pins u u, forming the bottom plate of rods w w fw, being constructed and arranged as shown in the several figures, and as described above.

vThe rods w to, moving the levers w m on the inclined axes 1/ and z, being adjustable on vthe bottom plate or disk, t', as described within, in combination with rods w x d d and levers B B, arranged as specified, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The construction of my fork-holder fw, consisting ot' four elastic laps 1, 2, 3,-and 4, and the screw 5, for the purpose specied hereinbefore.

EDWARD GOTTY.

Witnesses:

Guo. W. THoRN, WILLIAM M. Onirrs. 

